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Industry news
some benchmarks and markers that would
indicate that’s the case. We need to be aware
of them and try to fix them. society that had changed with women in
the workforce and wanting to play on the
weekends. Clubs hadn’t adapted.
He said female membership was at 34
percent of about 300,000 total members
in 1970, but the growth in female players
did not match the boom in male players of
the 1980s and 1990s, so that through that
period, the number of female members grew
only from 102,000 to 104,000. “I do believe clubs have started to adapt, let
me say, but there’s a lot of territory to cover.”
“To me, that was about our facilities not
being very welcoming to women, in a
As part of the strategy, GA is encouraging
its clubs nationally to provide equal access
for both genders on all days – which many
already offer — and for clubs to take on
more female board members and senior
executives.
The four main pillars of Vision 2025 are:
Photo credit: Golf Victoria
* Culture and leadership: more women on boards and in senior positions;
opening up clubhouses and courses and making them more welcoming –
equal access, equal rights.
GOLF AUSTRALIA’S VISION 2025 TO
TARGET FEMALE PARTICIPATION AND
CHANGE GOLF’S CULTURE
G
olf Australia’s “Vision 2025: The future
of women and girls in golf” was made
public during preparations for the
ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open at
Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide.
GA chief executive Stephen Pitt, flanked by
GA board member Jill Spargo and new LPGA
Tour member Hannah Green, said the vision
was wide-ranging and fundamental to the
game’s future.
The four-pillar strategy aims to significantly
increase a female club membership rate that
12
sits at a record low 20 percent, along with
improving culture at golf clubs around the
country.
* Grassroots: introductions to golf that are friendlier and more social; more
emphasis on fun and family; better transition to courses and clubs; hubs and
networks for women and girls.
* High performance and coaching: More heroes to inspire the next
generation; more female coaches to nurture and develop them; more chances
for the elite to compete and hone their skills.
* Marketing and positioning: Changing the way the sport is perceived;
more women and girls proud to say ‘I play golf’; promoting the fun, healthy,
social game – a second sport and a sport for life.
Pitt told a media conference it was critical
that “our game is opened up to everyone”.
“I think we’ve got some important challenges
as a sport and we need to recognise them,’’
Pitt said.
“In some ways, I don’t think we’ve done a very
good job as a sport catering for women and
girls over a long period of time. There are
The Golf Marketing Professionals I www.golfindustrycentral.com.au
Golf Industry Central I Autumn 2018
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